Previous anatomical study and training work with running athletes conducted by the present inventor resulted in the development of a SPRINTER LEG MUSCLE TRAINING DEVICE, described and claimed in this inventor's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,601, issued Dec. 1, 1992. Related work and study has been extended by the present inventor with various other athletes in sports requiring specific development of the arm and related upper body musculature. This research indicates that certain identifiable arm and related upper body muscles, particularly the trapezius, deltoid, pectoral and latissimus dorsi muscles of the upper body and the biceps, triceps and quadriceps muscles of the arm, require specialized strengthening and training to achieve maximum strength, agility and effectiveness, and/or to recover from injury. In the course of this continuing study and work, this inventor has developed a novel device for training and strengthening these muscle groups that is particularly effective in the above recited sports and in related activities requiring development of arm strength, and of extension and throwing motions to improve overall performance.
In sports involving throwing, although the biomechanics vary from one sport to another, there is a commonality shared among all throwing motions. Each begins with a gentle wind-up before the shoulder structures are "cocked" to provide a tense, highly forceful unit ready for an accelerated release. Once the projectile is released, the athlete "follows through" to prevent injury associated with internal forces.
One major problem with current training devices is their inability to approach speeds that body segments actually undergo during the act of throwing. One study has shown that internal rotation occurs at speeds of up to 7300 degrees per second and elbow extension occurs at 2300 degrees per second. These rapid accelerations cannot be reproduced on traditional weight training equipment. In addition, it has been shown that motor tasks become more dissimilar at different velocities and require distinct patterns of neuromuscular recruitment and coordination. Therefore, an athlete should not train slowly for a skill that is ballistic in nature. Therefore, there is a recognized need for an arm training device which will provide high speed, sport specific acceleration and eccentric loading of an athlete's entire kinetic chain.